During the current fiscal (2008) year we carried out the following studies:[unreadable] [unreadable] (1) We completed analysis of 18 donor samples with regard to NF-&#954;B induction and gene expression in CD4+ cells. We found elevated constitutive levels of NF-&#954;B pathway in cells from donors above the age of 65, suggesting a possible source of age-associated chronic inflammation. p65/Rel A and NF-&#954;B-dependent gene expression was reduced in the same cohort, indicative of immune attenuation in the elderly.[unreadable] [unreadable] (2) We analyzed NF-&#954;B induction and NF-&#954;B-dependent gene expression in highly purified nave (CD45RA+) and memory (CD45RO+) CD4+ T cells from peripheral blood. Kinetic analysis of NF-&#954;B induction showed no differences in NF-&#954;B induction in response to TCR and co-receptor stimulation between the two cell populations. In contrast, NF-&#954;B-dependent gene expression was much enhanced in memory cells. We infer that NF-&#954;B is more "effectively" utilized in memory cells; the molecular basis for this difference is under investigation.[unreadable] [unreadable] (3) We purified monocytes from human peripheral blood and investigated NF-&#954;B induction in response to lipopolysaccharide (LPS). We found rapid I&#954;B&#945; degradation but relatively low levels of nuclear p65/Rel A induction in these cells. RNA analysis is underway.